Looking for a way to grow your client base and improve the revenue stream of your small business? Advertising can dramatically accelerate the success of your business, and there are many different methods and tools you can use to do so. Let us show you some practical ways to advertise your small business and obtain better results.
Creating a Customer Profile
If you’ve not yet established a client profile, this should be the first thing you do before advertising. When you manage a business, you need to understand who your target client is and how you can connect with them on an emotional level. Without knowing who to focus your marketing efforts on, your advertising will not be beneficial, and you will most likely struggle to attract new clients. To pinpoint your target audience, you need to describe the specific person who will buy from you consistently and then identify their characteristics, values, social environments, demographics, and desires. Once you’ve figured this out, you will be able to piece together an advertising plan that will speak to your target audience.
Social Media Marketing
One of the most effective ways to advertise your small business is through social media marketing. This will involve finding the platforms that your clients use – do they love Facebook? Snapchat? Instagram? Pinterest? Once you have an idea of where your clientele spends their online time, you can advertise to them directly by creating posts and ads that direct them to your website or products.
AdWords
Google AdWords is also an effective form of pay-per-click (PPC) advertising for small businesses. Advertisers pay to have their ads and copy placed on pages that are appropriate to their keywords. The algorithm sets the ads where it determines it will be most relevant to achieve the most number of clicks. It’s scalable, measurable and faster than Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
YouTube
More people watch YouTube now than any television network out there. By creating videos about your product, you can target your “ad” to a query that matches your products and services. Using their advertising platform (TrueView ads), your business can target ads to your ideal viewer. One of the main benefits of using YouTube is you only pay when people have watched your video for more than 30 seconds or when they engage with your ad by clicking on your call-to-action.
Newspapers
If you’re looking for a more traditional way to advertise, then newspaper advertising placements are the way to go. Despite what the common perception is, newspapers are still very popular, whether people are reading the digital or print versions. Choosing to use print or digital placements will depend upon your target audience. If you run a business that focusses on attracting older clientele, for example, print versions may be more useful.
Event Sponsorship
You can sponsor an event in your community to promote your company. However, make sure that the target audience is relevant. For instance, if you own a business that markets to seniors, it’s best to sponsor a type of event they commonly frequent. But it doesn’t have to stop there; you can also use this strategy to reach a new market or demographic and to extend your current customer base. Event marketing allows you to get creative and engaging with your marketing efforts, but be sure not to break the bank on huge events before you’re sure they will provide value to your business!
At The Beacon Group of Assante Financial Management Ltd., we can help you make better choices with your business finances. Contact us today!
